Davis double sends Hornets to District Playoffs

By: Ed Weaver  /  May 18, 2017

With runners aboard in the bottom of the ninth, a walk-off double by freshman Carson Davis propelled the Wellsboro Varsity Baseball team past Milton 7-6 in their final regular season game.

The win was the Hornets' 10th of the season, qualifying them for District IV Class AA playoffs.

"It was a roller coaster of a game," said head coach Philip Prough. "We started hot, went cold, then got hot again at the right time."

With the game tied at 4-4 after the seventh inning, Milton threatened in the top of the eighth with a double by Alex Garcia, but a diving catch by freshman Billy Lechler on an infield pop fly ended the inning. However, the Hornets went three-up, three-down in the bottom half of the inning, sending the game into the ninth.

Milton broke the tie with two runs in the top of the ninth. After a double to center field by Dalton Guiswite, a base hit to shallow left field by Jacob Brooks scored Cory Gensel then Brooks scored as Philip Davis reached on an error to make the score 6-4.

The Hornets had one final chance in the bottom of the ninth. After back-to-back walks by juniors Parker Mann and Dalton Prough, sophomore Cam Tennis loaded the bases as he beat out the throw to first on an infield hit. Lechler grounded to short in the next at bat to score Mann before Davis' double scored Prough and Tennis to send the Hornets home with the win.

Wellsboro took an early lead with two runs each in the first and second innings. In the first, Prough and Tennis hit back-to-back singles and scored on a Lechler base hit to make it 2-0. In the second, junior Johnny Rowland led off with a base hit to center field and sophomore Taynton Repard hit a bunt single. Both scored on a base hit by freshman Silas Wagaman.

Wellsboro's defense played four innings of scoreless baseball until Milton scored three runs in the top of the fifth and later a run in top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

Rowland started on the mound and pitched 6 1/3 innings, with 3 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Rowland allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 94 pitches for the no decision. Davis came in for the final 2 2/3 innings for the win.

"Johnny and Carson did a great job pitching," continued Prough. "They only hit 2 or 3 hard balls all night. A lot of credit goes to our pitching coach, Rob Brant for the work he's done with the kids."

Tennis was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, Davis was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk, Prough and Wagaman were both 1-for-3, Rowland was 1-for-4, and Repard was 1-for-1 with 3 walks. Prough and Mann both walked twice and Wagaman also drew a walk.

The win gives the Hornets a 10-10 regular season record (9-6 NTL Large School Division). The team will now wait for their playoff seeding with their next game to be determined.